CSUN Defeated 14-5 at UCLA

WESTWOOD, Calif. - The Cal State Northridge Matadors (1-2) were the first team to light up the scoreboard at Jackie Robinson Stadium Sunday afternoon, but it was the UCLA Bruins (3-0) who were able to come-from-behind to defeat CSUN by a score of 14-5.

For the second game in a row, CSUN jumped out to an early lead, a scoring opportunity that began in the second inning with a leadoff single by third baseman Justin DeMarco.

Catcher Dominic Piazza followed with a single of his own, enabling DeMarco to sprint his way to third base on the play. A ground-out single off the bat of left-fielder C.J. Belanger provided DeMarco the opportunity needed to advance another 90 feet to score the first run of the game.

Piazza would score the second run of the inning just a few minutes later thanks to a double off the bat of shortstop TS Reed that found a home in left field, giving CSUN a 2-0 lead.

UCLA's chopped that lead in half in their half of the same inning; were it not for the efforts of Matador starting pitcher Shawn Wilyman who induced two pop-outs off Bruin bats, the advantage could have switched to the home team.

Instead, the Matadors ended the Bruin's first serious scoring threat of the afternoon, and finished the second with a 2-1 lead.

CSUN would regain their two-run lead in the top of the fourth when a Belanger's leadoff walk morphed into the first run scored by the men in red. After a wild pitched advanced him to second, Carpenter's single to left field brought the left-fielder home.

Looking to make the most of their two-out scoring opportunity, Carpenter then stole his third base of the day to place himself in scoring position before scoring the second run of the inning off a single from centerfielder Andrew Muren.

Unfortunately for CSUN, UCLA would battle back in their next set of at-bats and tie the game at four apiece on a home run hit by centerfielder Beau Amaral, forcing coach Steve Rousey to turn to his bullpen.

Once summoned, left-hander Bennett Parry then entered the game and successfully recorded the final outs of the inning to eradicate another Bruin scoring opportunity in his Matador debut.

UCLA would take the lead for the first time in the game in their half of the fifth inning, putting up four runs on the scoreboard to take an 8-4 lead.

That lead would increase the next inning to a 10-4 margin when Bruin third baseman Dean Espy hit a home run over the left field fence.

The Matadors began the process of fighting back in the top of the seventh inning when second baseman Ryan Pineda led off with a single to left field, scoring four batters later when Piazza grounded out to second base.

However, the Bruins would respond in the bottom half of the inning, adding another three runs to extend their lead to 13-5, before adding another run in the bottom of the eighth.

A trip down I-5 awaits the Matadors this Tuesday when they travel to the University of San Diego to face the Toreros in a 2:00 afternoon match-up. GameTracker will be available for Tuesday's game, to follow the action from Cunningham Stadium visit www.GoMatadors.com.